The Love of Danger
by Dances-with-faeries
Summary: I've updated and done a special drawing of Erica. Check out the update and my special drawing. Planning to draw Julia soon
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1  
  
Erica walked the streets of Port Royal. It was a warm summer's day, the sun could be seen through the clouds.  
  
Houses surrounded the streets, as did the flowers and vegetable gardens. Cats, dogs, goats, birds, and chickens roamed the streets along with the people.  
  
A blacksmiths shop sat at the end of the street, a dark long tunnel leading to the docks was beside the shop.  
  
Up the hill was the governor's house. Which he shared with one daughter, and a "million" helpers. The walkway up to the house was covered in granite stones, surrounded by many freshly green shrubs.  
  
Erica's head moved from left to right, her eyes discovering every brick in the buildings. Many of the buildings she passed were stores.  
  
Erica had long, curly, brown hair, a little past her shoulders. In her hair she wore a black bandana, with beads sprouting out of the top. And resting on her forehead. Her eyes were brown, the color of her hair. She had big, lushly rose pink lips, going well with her many freckles on her nose and cheekbones.  
  
Erica wore a white long sleeved shirt that cut a "V" shape down past her color bones; brown breeches, down past her knees, but her boots made them look leg length; and a sword belt across her chest.  
  
Erica sighed and kept on walking straight, her mind racing, from thought to thought. All about what would happen when she got there. Her vision becoming clearer from blurry, Erica saw to lieutenants coming at her; fast.  
  
She darted in the nearest building. It turned out the building she was looking for, she was in. 'Wow! So many beautiful things. Things that I wish were mine,' she thought to herself.  
  
Erica walked around the room, her hands searching the porcelain vases. One vase was lilac with a merchant ship on it. The one next to it was all black except for a white skull and two swords behind it. Erica thought, 'The symbol of the Black Pearl!'  
  
"Hello?," rang a voice coming from the upstairs. She spun around quickly, staring at the stairs and only the stairs. "Hello?"  
  
A young woman about the age of 23 (same age as Erica) came down the stairs; her beautiful yellow dress flowing on the steps.  
  
Her slender hand rolled down the stairs post. Her black hair was tied up in a bun; some of her curly bangs falling before her bright green eyes.  
  
"Erica!," exclaimed the woman, running over to her and holding Erica's hands in hers.  
  
"Julia," Erica replied in her gentle but bored voice. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled at Julia.  
  
"So you made it alright?, " said Julia, taking her hands away and clapping them together.  
  
"I look alright, don't I?," asked Erica, holding her hands out at her sides and shrugging.  
  
Julia sighed disappointment, but kept a smile on her face. When she smiled, she had little dimples. Julia's smile would cheer anybody up, that's why when she smiled, Erica couldn't keep her face straight; she smiled too.  
  
They walked out to the back, where it looked out onto the fresh, blue ocean. Many ships sailed around in circles, warding off enemies. (Pirates)  
  
Erica breathed in fresh, clean air and closed her eyes. Julia looked at her and asked, "Have you found a crew yet?" She kept her eyes shut meaning a "No" "A ship even?"  
  
"I'll find a crew and ship when I go to Tortuga."  
  
"And when is that?," Julia's tone became serious and concerned.  
  
Erica opened her eyes and looked at her, "When I get around to it. Don't worry, I'll find her."  
  
Julia half smiled and looked out to the water, along with Erica.  
  
"Come on! She's in here!"  
  
Both their heads spun around to look at the door. Erica pursed her lips and started to slowly inch away, but Julia grabbed her shoulder. Her face showing confusion on it.  
  
"Forgot to pay me shilling for me boat. People here take everything so seriously," said Erica running out of view.  
  
Just as Erica disappeared, four soldiers came bursting through the door. Julia gasped and grabbed the sides of her dress, the fabric running through her fingers.  
  
"Where is she?," asked one soldier, roughly.  
  
"Gone," smiled Julia. He growled and led the other soldiers out.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Erica steered her small little boat that she rode in to Port Royal. It was so small that it only had two sails.  
  
A rather large crate caught her eyes. It seemed to be moving like quivering.   
  
Erica eyed it, the kohl around her eyes cutting off on the glare. She let go of the wheel and slowly walked up to the crate, pulling out her flintlock pistol.  
  
She lifted her foot to kick the top off, but the top came off with no kicking, only pushing.  
  
Two outstretched hands came out, holding onto the sides. Erica leaned over, ready to fire.  
  
"Julia?!"  
  
Se hoisted herself out, her long legs cracking. "It's really uncomfortable in there," she looked up to see the pistol being placed back into it's holder. "Were you really gonna shoot me?"  
  
"Why are you here?," said Erica, angrily.  
  
"I figured if you were to choose the crew, the ship and how the journey goes. I should approve of all those things, seeing how this is my errand you are running," said Julia walking around the boat.  
  
"You're not coming. It's to dangerous," said Erica sternly and standing her ground.  
  
Julia spun around quickly on her heel, facing Erica, "She's my sister, I won't let her die!"  
  
There was a long pause before Erica responded to that remark, "Welcome aboard Ana Maria's boat. We shall turn back and stop at the blacksmiths shop for some supplies"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Erica and Julia once again walked the streets of Port Royal. They approached the sign saying: J. Brown, it had a sword and axe above the name.  
  
Julia entered first holding the door open for Erica, but she slammed it open making a ruckus.  
  
"Will will be able to help us. WILL!," said Julia. Erica half smiled and looked around.  
  
She spotted a rapier in it's sheath lying on a table next to a huge machine. A little donkey stood at one end and pulled the wheel, making the machine move. Across from the doorway was a fire pit where many sword blades laid.  
  
Many small tables were covered with many tools and papers.  
  
"WILL!"  
  
"Stop yelling, I'm here," said a young man about the age of 26. He had his brown, caramel colored hair tied back, little strands hung before his chocolate eyes. He had a short cut mustache and goatee.  
  
He wore a white flimsy shirt with a brown vest over it; brown breeches under his apron which was covered in white, brown, and black paint; white knee high stockings went well with his buckled shoes.  
  
He emerged, wiping off his hands with a really dirty white rag. "What can I do for you Julia and…."  
  
Julia jumped from being poked in the ribs by Erica. She held out her hand for Will to shake, "Erica"  
  
Will took her hand and shook with his rough blacksmiths hands.  
  
Erica let go and started walking around the shop, her hands touching the hilts of the many swords. "We need some new cutlass swords and some new flintlock pistol bullets."  
  
She pulled her sword from the belt and her pistol and laid them over some of his papers.  
  
"How many?"  
  
"Three swords and five bullets"  
  
"How would you like the hilts done?" asked Will running around the armory and grabbing the supplies.  
  
"As best as you can do 'em," answered Erica.  
  
"They will be done tomorrow when the sun sets. Twenty-five shillings," said Will as Erica approached quietly behind him. As she walked over to him, she grabbed her pistol and pointed it at his head.  
  
Julia was not surprised by this. Sometimes it would get Erica out of paying, other times it would get her in deep trouble. She stood there, pursing her lips, her hands on her hips.  
  
Will turned around fast to see the pistol in his face and directed at his nose. His eyes widened with surprise.  
  
"Not to be rude or anything, but how about no shillings for the swords and bullets and I wont blow yer brains out. What say you to that?"  
  
"I say ---," but Will was cut off by Julia's "WAIT!" and running feet coming down the steps.  
  
Erica watched Julia come running at them. Will pushed the pistol gently away from his face, but even though Erica wasn't watching, she directed it back.  
  
"We could use him," said Julia glancing to Will then back at Erica.   
  
"Use me for what?," said Will angrily.  
  
"All I wanted was some supplies, now I have to bring both of you?," Erica said, stomping her feet and looking from Julia to Will.   
  
"Does that mean yes?," Julia said, hopefully.  
  
"Use me for what?!," said Will even louder and swatting the pistol away. He ran over to Julia's side.  
  
"I'm not saying yes or no."  
  
"USE ME FOR WHAT?!"  
  
Erica and Julia stared at him in horror. Julia shook her head and stuck her index in her ear, "Could you be any louder?"  
  
"Sorry," Will apologized.  
  
"My sister --"  
  
"Catherine?," asked Will.  
  
"Yes, Catherine. She'd been taken by Captain Barbossa and his crew. We're gathering a crew, would you be willing to go with us? Please?," said Julia with pleading eyes.  
  
Erica sighed and pulled out a bag full of twenty-five shillings, "Here"  
  
She dropped the bag into Will's hands. He looked down at it and dropped it back in Erica's hand. "I say, I come with you, and you get your supplies, no pay."  
  
Julia beamed up at him and nodded, Erica smiled too, "Perfect"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Ya'll need some serious practice," laughed Erica as she watched them "sword fight".  
  
Will glanced up at her. Erica saw this and jumped down from the loft, pulling out her cutlass.   
  
"I'll test ya then. 'Scuse me Julia," Erica said as Julia bowed her head and stepped back to watch.  
  
She raised her sword to shoulder length, at an angle. He did the same.   
  
When Will's blade touched Erica's she spun hers around his. So now her blade was straight at him. He hit it away and the fight began. She swung at him but he jumped back.  
  
Will charged at Erica but she kicked his sword out of his hands.  
  
He gasped and pulled out another. She strikes here, he strikes there.  
  
Will thrust his sword so hard at her, that her sword went flying out of her hands. He backed her against the wall as she looked frantically around for something.  
  
Will's blade touched Erica's throat, as it did so, she pulled out her pistol and shoved it in his gut.  
  
"You can't do that, I got you first!," cried out Will.  
  
"And I got you second," smirked Erica as Will pulled the blade from her neck, but she still kept the pistol pointed at him.  
  
He signaled for her to put it down and she did so. Julia stared at them both,her mouth hanging open.  
  
The machine had been going during the fight, and had now stopped. Will ran over to the jackass and patted him on the head.  
  
He pulled the blade out of the fire pit as the flames died. "The bullets and your swords are done."  
  
Will pulled each blade from the coals and hung them on hooks to cool. The blades shone bright orange but soon faded to light bronze.  
  
Erica slowly walked to the side of the machine and pulled five bullets from the bowl that they had sprouted from.  
  
"Let's go!," yelled Julia, picking a sword and placing it in her belt. She walked out into the open. 


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2  
  
"Welcome to Tortuga!," yelled Erica over the talk and fights beside them.  
  
Tortuga was the place all the pirates went to have fun and just a good time.  
  
Erica led the way to the Faithful Bride, the most famous bar in Tortuga. Will and Julia stayed behind seeing how she'd break up the fights, every time she passed.  
  
The door burst open and a flood of silence went throughout the bar. Erica smirked and the babble of talk continued.   
  
As she passed the bartender, her slid three mugs of rum down the table. Erica reached out her hand and caught the glass, the others doing the same.   
  
Erica spun around on her heel, to face Will and Julia, her rum sloshing around. "I need to find someone, stay together and….," she looked around nervously. "Keep a close eye."  
  
Julia and Will nodded as Erica disappeared into the crowd. They both walked to the side of the bar and stayed out of everyone's way.  
  
As Erica pushed her way through the crowd, Gibbs saw her and turned away; to make a fast exit.  
  
She reached out to grab his shoulder and spun him around, "Where ya going, Mr. Gibbs?"  
  
"Blasted. Give me a moments peace!," spat Gibbs.  
  
Erica grinned at him. She was one of the few pirates who had white teeth. "Where's Captain Sparrow?"  
  
Gibbs nodded to a crowd of shouting people, "Ye best watch out. That Jack Sparrow, he don't play fair."  
  
"We all don't play fair."  
  
Erica patted him on the shoulder and left him to his peace.  
  
She grabbed Julia by her sleeve, dragging her into the shadows. Julia doing the same to Will.  
  
"Jack Sparrow is over there," Erica nodded to the crowd of the shouting people.  
  
"What are we gonna say?," asked Will.  
  
"That my sister's been stolen and that we need him and possibly his ship!," said Julia, turning to Will then over to Erica. "Right?"  
  
"I hear he's tough to persuade and a li'l daft in the brain if ya know what I mean. We shouldn't be to forward with him."  
  
"Then what do we say?," Will asked again as Julia and Erica glanced back at the crowd.  
  
"Follow my lead."  
  
Erica walked in front of them once more, leading them up to the crowd. "Come on! Move!," she yelled, pushing the men aside.  
  
Jack Sparrow sat in a chair, his feet on the table; crossed. In his hand was an overfilled mug of grog.  
  
He had long, dark, black hair. Down a little past his shoulders., many dreadlocks were tangled in the black. He wore a red bandana tied around his head, a single strand of beads sprouted out, falling upon his forehead. Two more strands of beads were lost in the mess of hair. A single pony came out over the red and out at an odd angle, and a thick braid in the back of his head. He wore black kohl heavily around his brown eyes. He had a black mustache and beard, braided in two braids, ending with a bead.  
  
He wore a long sleeved flimsy white shirt, a blackish worn out vest, brown breeches reaching down past his knees with huge clunky boots. Around his waist was a red striped cloth, over the cloth was a brown belt. A compass hung from the belt, while his flintlock pistol was tucked neatly in it's holder. A sword belt hung across his chest with a magnificent cutlass unsheathed. (probably stole it)  
  
"Jack Sparrow?," Erica said fiercely.   
  
"Aye," he replied holding his mug up to her, like a toast.  
  
"We need a word," she said, holding her hands out at her sides. Signaling Will and Julia to come out from behind her.  
  
They stood at Erica's sides and looked around. Jack eyed them and said, "Who are you?"  
  
"I am Erica Willow. My two companions: Will Turner and Julia Marigold. We need a word."  
  
"Well Erica Willow, what I need is for the annoying little fly to buzz off so I can drink me rum in peace, Savvy?," said Jack as he took a sip from the glass.  
  
Erica growled as the crowd around them snickered. She knocked the rum out of his hand, the glass hitting the floor and shattering. Erica leaned in close to his face, so all he could see was her sharp brown eyes.  
  
"You know Barbossa? You do, don't you?"  
  
"I know 'im," replied Jack as she leaned away and pulled out a chair, sitting in it.  
  
"Go on! Get going!," yelled Will to the crowd but they stood their ground.  
  
"Get lost!," yelled Jack. They left them to their business. "Before we talk, I need more rum. You!," he pointed to Will. "Rum! Now!"  
  
"Will, stay! This drunk has had enough," Erica said, putting her hand in front of Will but keeping a close eye on Jack.   
  
Jack sighed and took his feet off the table. He legs being replaced by his elbows. "What do ya wanna know then?"  
  
"Everything," said Will, Julia and Erica at the same time.  
  
Jack pursed his lips, closed his eyes and tilted his head. "This Barbossa fellow, I heard he's got a curse upon him."  
  
"Now where did you hear that?," asked Jack, his eyes getting very big.  
  
"I--I read about it," said Julia, inside feeling like a child.  
  
"Now tell," said Erica, pounding her fist on the table.  
  
Jack looked shocked then started to tell them of Barbossa. "He took the Black Pearl from me, only eight years ago. Committed mutiny, he did. Left me to die on a god forsaken island with one shot." He pulled out his pistol and did a thorough inspection to it, then put it back.  
  
"The heat was to drive me mad until I got sick of living life," he shaped his hand like a gun and put it to his head. "Now why do you need all this information?"  
  
"Julia's younger sister, Catherine Marigold was taken by Barbossa and we need your help to get her back," said Erica leaning closer.  
  
"And your ship," added Will. Erica spun around in her chair and gave him a syrupy, lovey-dovey, oh-so-sweet, up-yours smile. She went back to Jack.  
  
Jack was very quiet for a while before Julia asked, "You do have the Pearl back? Don't you?"  
  
"O'Course I do!," he exclaimed. "Barbossa couldn't keep me from me freedom!"  
  
"Well, will you help us?," asked Will, hopefully.  
  
Jack put his index finger to his lip and tried to look thoughtful, "What's the benefit for me?"  
  
"Treasure. A whole lot of it! Barbossa's treasure. Oh and we need yer crew also," said Erica as she smiled.  
  
Jack sat there, staring at all of them, his brow furrowed. Erica noticed this and added, "Or no gold, Savvy?"  
  
When she mocked him, his lip curled and his eye twitched, "You got yerself a captain."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Alright! This is the crew," said Jack as he stood beside Erica. She held her chin in the air but her eyes were still upon the crew.  
  
Jack said hello to the few he knew, "'ey there Gibbs….Cotton…..Ah, Ana Maria."  
  
As he said her name, she bared her teeth and he kept walking.  
  
Julia and Will stood by the Black Pearl and talked about how they would go about spending their riches.  
  
When the line of the crew ended, Jack and Erica stopped and faced each other.  
  
"Will they do?," asked Jack.  
  
It was a long pause before Erica answered, "I need to discuss this with Julia."  
  
She slowly walked back to the front. Her hands behind her back, her chin once again in the air while her eyes stayed upon their rough faces.  
  
"Captain Sparrow wishes to know if they'll do," said Erica in a loud, false voice. She then leaned in very close to Will's and Julia's faces and whispered, "I personally don't like some of 'em"  
  
"Which ones?," asked Will.  
  
"More like one. That man with the parrot on his shoulder," said Erica looking over to him.  
  
Jack paced about the crew and noticed the three staring at Cotton. He muttered to him, "Heads up, Mr. Cotton."  
  
The parrot on his shoulder squawked, "Wind in yer sails."  
  
Julia walked up to him, this time, first while the others stood behind her, "You!"  
  
"Mr. Cotton," said Gibbs, still standing his place in the line.  
  
"Mr. Cotton, what's with the parrot?"  
  
He didn't answer but the bright green bird did, "Dead men tell no tales."  
  
"Was I talking to you?!," snapped Julia, her eyes suddenly becoming dark and fearful.   
  
Erica started laughing but Will nudged her with his elbow and she stopped. She stood straight and tall, and then she glanced at Jack.  
  
Mr. Cotton still hadn't answered, but before Julia had gotten the chance to yell at him, Jack ran in front of her doing drunk gestures. "He's a mute…."  
  
But he too was interrupted by Erica, "Lemme guess, he has no tongue?"  
  
"Precisely," said Jack with a grin on his face.  
  
"And who took his tongue?," asked Will with a bit of fear in his voice.  
  
"I did," said Erica. Everyone's eyes turned to her as she looked around with a guilty smile spread across her pink lips. "I admit I was cruel. But to get by in being a pirate, you have to be feared."  
  
"True True," muttered Jack.  
  
They all shrugged as they turned back to face Cotton.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The crew wasn't set to leave until they had gotten all of their provisions. They had no idea how long this journey would be but Erica wasn't going to let any of them back out.   
  
Erica stood at the top of a sand dune of Tortuga. It was another one of those warm summer nights. The moon was out and the stars shone brightly, glittering in her eyes. Waves crashed on the sand down below her.   
  
She sighed and smiled to herself. The ocean always made her feel better when she was down in the dumps. Erica was depressed because everyone knew what she had done to Cotton. For the first time ever, she had felt guilty about something that she had done in the past.  
  
"Nice night," someone muttered behind her.  
  
Erica spun around to see Jack holding a bottle of rum in his right hand. She rolled her eyes and turned back around at the water and the beautiful night sky.   
  
"It'd be nicer if I was alone," Erica said, her back still to Jack. She didn't even have the manners to look at him when she spoke. All pirates were like that.  
  
"Though it'd be lonelier," he said coming up to her side. The bottle of rum hit his thigh and he took another swig.   
  
Erica glanced at him then her eyes searched down to the bottle grasped tightly in his hand. The wind took another breeze through her curly, brown hair and she looked out to "mother ocean" "To be cruel is to be alone."  
  
Jack sighed a drunk sigh and looked at her looking at the sea, "Ye know, you're a lot nicer when your depressed." He laughed expecting her to laugh too but it never came. She had turned to look at him, but no happiness escaped her lips.  
  
"Is that supposed to cheer me up? I'm already upset, don't make me more."  
  
They stared in silence at the shore. Urge surged through Erica and she wanted to just jump into the water and lay there, while the ocean took her out to sea. But she fought over that urge and stayed her ground.  
  
"You like her?," asked Jack breaking the silence. Erica was surprised when he first spoke and she looked over to him.  
  
"Her as in the ocean? Yeah, I do. She comforts me," She smiled and looked back out to the water. "It reminds me of home, and me mother and da."  
  
"You miss them," he said gently. This was not the Jack Erica had heard of. The Jack she had heard of was the witty, trustworthy, jerk-like pirate. But this must have been a whole different side of him. The side that said to her, that he would be a good friend. 'Who's he fooling?,' she thought in her mind.  
  
Erica turned to go, but he grabbed her by the elbow, telling her not to. She pulled free and sneered to him, "Ye know, your more of a jerk when your drunk."  
  
She left him to the dark cold night to only his lonesome self, starry night and crashing waves.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Okay! We prepare to board in two minutes!," yelled Erica walking by the line of the crew, her hands behind her back.   
  
Whichever crew member who was slouching, she walked by and they straightened up with fear of her doing anything worse than what she had done to Cotton.   
  
Erica saw fear in there eyes, and it hurt her, to realize that the crew she would be sailing with for who knows long, didn't trust her. Well she was a feared pirate, what else do you expect from your crew?  
  
Walking back over to Julia and Will, Erica passed Jack and gave him a quick glance. He probably forgot about last night, seeing how he was so drunk. She acted as if nothing happened and stood by Julia's side.  
  
"I don't trust that Captain Sparrow," said Julia looking over to Erica, but her face was straight ahead, her lips pursed and her eyes searching the scared faces of her buccaneer crew. "He's a man that can't be trus---."  
  
Julia was cut off by Erica's interruption, "We wouldn't be out saving Catherine if he wasn't here." 'Yeah true, but he was a little wasted'  
  
Julia's lip twitched and she looked over to Jack who was staring at the three of them, his mouth slightly open, pondering about what was just said about him. Deciding to forget about the problem of him, he turned to Gibbs and whispered, "Ready to kick some skeletal butt this voyage?"  
  
"Not quite, captain. I'd prefer sitting in the Faithful Bride having meself a rum and watching all the lovely fights go about."  
  
Jack pursed his lips and tilted his head, his eyes half closed, "Hear hear, Mr. Gibbs. But I get meself another shiny shilling if I do this for them and the pleasure of killing Barbossa."  
  
"And what should I get? I didn't even have to come on this voyage if Erica wouldn't have seen me that night," said Gibbs angrily, looking up at his captain and friend.  
  
"Well," Jack's left wrist now rested on Gibbs' shoulder, seeing how he was a tad bit shorter than him. It moved up and down with his other hand, doing gestures. "This journey hasn't even started to begun, you can always--," his hands moved away from him and out back to the town of Tortuga, "--leave But if you stay, I'll be happy to give ye a bit of Barbossa's plunder."  
  
Gibbs smiled and was now looking out to the town. "Barbossa's treasure says you, ah I feel a change in the wind says I. Let's board the Pearl, captain," said Gibbs starting his way to the Black Pearl but Jack's hand grabbed his shoulder and his bones gave a crack.  
  
"Ah, now Gibbs, that be me job," his hand swishing into his face. Looking out to the crew he yelled over to the buccaneers, "On deck you scabbarous dogs!"  
  
They all obeyed and quickly got aboard. All except Will and Jack who were left behind to watch the crew. But Will wasn't there to be in charge. "So Jack---"  
  
"Don't talk to me," snapped Jack starting to head to the wooden plank leading them all to the deck of the ship. His eyes not facing Will.  
  
"Well, you get this straight, we are aboard to find Catherine and not to--to plunder merchant vessels, you got that?," Will was being more than usual, stricter. Jack turned to look at him and he stopped walking as did Will.  
  
"And what would make you think I would do such a thing?," said Jack giving him an oh-so-sweet, lovey-dovey, up-yours smile. Stupid enough, Will bought it and left him to join the girls.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"You need to learn how to fence properly, mate," laughed Erica to Will.   
  
Once again, they were fencing and trying to get Will to be prepared for the big battle against Barbossa's crew. If there even was a battle.   
  
"Well I'd learn better if you weren't beating my a--"  
  
"Ah, but mate, I be fighting like this for a reason, and that reason be to prepare you if at any time you come across a duel such as this, but with more…blood," Erica hit his blade away from her torso and gave a quick satisfied smile.   
  
Will's eyes grew big and he growled. Pushing her up a small ramp, his sword hit under her feet, but Erica jumped, barley missing the flick of silver.  
  
Just as Erica jumped, Jack walked on the gun deck through a big, rough door. Julia let out a gasp as her head swiveled to the entrance way. Will struck at Erica and her feet left the ramp.   
  
Erica's body in the air, her sword clashing onto the floor, and her back hitting the side of the ship. Will let out a laugh and placed his hands onto his knees, trying to support his laughter.   
  
Quickly, Erica's head popped up from underneath the piece of wood. Her brown curly hair, sprawled across her tanned visage. She had an immense grin on her face. Will let out another cry of laughter.  
  
Jack still stood in the doorway, Julia goggling at him, he cocked his head to the side and furrowed his brows.   
  
Erica jumped up quickly, making her hair bounce and held out her hand, her pointer finger up showing them no harm. "I-I'm alright! Don't worry about ME!!!," As she said her last word, her foot slid atop the blade that she had dropped and made her fall backwards once again.  
  
Julia let out a snort as she watched her once graceful friend lay sprawled on the ground. Her chest heaving, Erica laughed and stared at the ceiling of the gun deck.  
  
"Here," Will thrust out his hand, the palm faced up, his fingers curled a bit.  
  
Erica sat up and glanced down at Will's hand. Her fingers curled around his wrist as his around hers. She tightened just as he hoisted her up. Erica brushed her backside off and slowly walked over to her sword.  
  
Her foot graced under the blade and laid on the tip of her toe. Erica kicked it up. Her hand caught it on the hilt and she sheathed it.  
  
"Got you that time," smirked Will walking over to Julia and sitting next to her. As he passed the doorway, he gave Jack a head nod.  
  
Erica was dusting off her breeches, her eyes still hadn't reached Jack yet. "Nyeah…," was Erica's reply. She snarled and lifted her eyes to meet Jack's.  
  
"That was a wonderful duel," Jack said sarcastically. He leaned on the doorframe, his arms crossed over his chest.  
  
Erica snarled and walked over by Julia to grab her pistol. She had set it down to make sure she wouldn't have shot Will. From past experience. The gun in her hand, she put it in her belt and walked to the doorway across from the other doorway that Jack happened to be at the opposite side of the gun deck.  
  
Spinning on her heel, Erica said to Will, "Nice fight. Your getting better," and with that, she left the three of them behind. 


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3  
  
"Let go of the maintop sail! Thar be a storm a-commin'!"  
  
Edward Buckingham, the Black Pearl's bo'sun yelled to the crew. They all scattered into different directions, heaving to.  
  
Julia walked up on deck, just in time to see the ships topmost upper sail get unraveled. It blew in the wind as did her black hair. She couldn't put her hair back up in a bun, her being seasick and all. She spent most of her days watching Will and Erica duel or she slept. Often, Julia wished she were Erica.  
  
"s'cuse me Miss Marigold, ye best get down below deck if yer not wanting to be thrown overboard," said Jack walking up to her and tilting his hat down as a product of respect. A smile spread across his face and Julia blushed. She nodded and left the crew to their work.  
  
As she walked down the thin hallway, she gave Erica a quick smile.  
  
Erica smirked back and walked up on deck, where she wasn't supposed to be. "'Ello, Captain," she greeted Jack.  
  
"Hello."  
  
"What's going on?," Erica looked down the deck to the bow and saw the whole crew scurry this was and that. "I felt a jolt, below deck." Her gaze was directed back to Jack and the wind blew through her brown hair.  
  
He didn't answer her, because he was steering the helm, looking down at his compass. Erica looked down at Jack's hand holding the black box. She didn't quite know what it was, so she walked over and stood behind him, looking over his shoulder.  
  
"Eh…Captain?," he looked up from his compass and looked over at her. His face was all confused like saying it's own words, 'when did you get here?'  
  
"huh?," Jack asked.  
  
Her eyes darted from the compass to his face, "Yer compass ain't working." His eyebrow raised and Erica added, "I mean, it ain't turning north."  
  
Jack rolled his eyes and said back to her, in the same confused tone as the lass standing next to him, "It ain't turning north, because we ain't trying to go north."  
  
"You know what I mean!," Erica growled.  
  
A laugh escaped his lips and handed over the compass into her smooth tan hands. Spinning it a little, she noticed that it wouldn't go north. "You knew?"  
  
"O'Course I knew. It's mine, idn't it?," Jack snatched the black box away from her and cocked his head as if it was some form of an interesting banana slug.  
  
"Would you care to tell me how you came by such an interesting item?"  
  
"Sure, mate," Jack let go of the helm and lead her to the bow. As he left, Mr. Cotton took over the steering.   
  
As Erica and Jack walked, one hand rested on her shoulder and the other did these odd drunken movements. "I'm an heir to an ancient sailor. Forgot his name, but I am. Yes I am," it sounded as though he was talking to himself. But turns out he wasn't. He glanced at Erica and continued, "Me dad gave it to me, just before I became Captain of the Black Pearl."  
  
"Oh, fascinating," Erica said sarcastically.  
  
Jack gave her a mean glare and took his hand off her shoulder where he grabbed onto a rope hanging from a sail. The sail came tumbling down and almost hit Erica in the head, but she didn't flinch, she just kept her eyes staring up at the sheet of black.  
  
"Best get down below. Storm's-a-coming," he yelled over the wind howling.  
  
Erica yelled back to him as she moved the side-way mast over the dark blue water, "I'm a pirate. I can stay aboard here, also I know how to manage a ship. So I could be of use to you."  
  
She saw his eye twitch and heard him growl, "Fine, but do as I order."  
  
Grabbing onto a spare piece of rope on the ground, Erica tied it around her waist and then to the bottom of the mast. She saw Gibbs and Anamaria do the same.   
  
The wind blew through Anamaria's black hair. Her brown eyes squinted as she looked in the direction of the wind. Water splashed onto the deck and everyone looked so soaked in only a matter of mere seconds.  
  
Erica's vision got blurred by the rain, the water making her eyelashes hang deep into her eyes. A couple of blinks and they were gone.  
  
"Alright. Is everyone tied in? Good? Good. Best be, because it's gonna be a bumpy ride," Jack yelled from the helm up at the wheel and gave a small smile, before the a wave hit the deck and flopped everyone over onto their backs.  
  
Water filled Erica's lungs as she gasped for air. It hit as a surprise as did the enormous gust of wind after she got back to her feet.  
  
Waiting to see what were the orders, she watched as the crew got to tugging at ropes and climbing them. She got up to the chained rope and started to climb. Getting half way to the top, Erica pulled out her dagger and cut one rope, sending a sail to come tumbling down. A rope whizzed by and Erica reached for it, Grasping it and being lunged into the air, landing on an upper mast.   
  
She landed on her feet, as Anamaria gave her a smile and climbing into the lookout box. Another rope went by and down went Erica getting stuck in mid air by the rope that was still tied around her waist.  
  
It pulled all the air out of her lungs once again and she just floated there, her hands flailing and her legs kicking.  
  
The dagger was still grasped in her hand and Erica sliced above the hanging rope and started to hurl down to the deck.  
  
Praying for a soft landing, Erica landed smack-daddy onto the hard wood. Her face pressed against the cold oak. Another wave landed on her and she jumped alive feeling the cold pierce her like a thousand knives.  
  
Thunder and lightning flashed behind her and she looked back. It wasn't that terrifying to her. It was quite beautiful. The pouring rain, the crashing waves, the rumbling sound of cloud against cloud in the sky and then, the grand finale, a crack of electricity lighting up the dark sky.  
  
Erica spun around after hearing a horrible screech. There, she saw Cotton's bird falling, falling, falling down to Davy Jones locker. A gasp escaped Erica's lips and she ran, pulling off the excess rope from her waist to the birds rescue. As she ran, Erica saw Gibbs sprawled on the side of the ship, looking exceptionally sick.   
  
Her hand grabbed onto the collar of his shirt and she hoisted him up to his feet, yelling to him, "Gibbs! Look lively!"  
  
Erica flew past him and he stared in her direction to see the flying woman pirate grab onto a dangling rope after gathering much speed. Over the water, she swung. One hand outstretched to catch the falling bird.   
  
Wet feathers were caught in her palm and Erica swung back on deck, landing on her rear. The bird clutched tightly in her hand, close to her.  
  
"aaawwwwkkk! Wind in yer sails aawwwkkk!," it screeched and Erica flinched from the high pitched scream.   
  
Cotton came running up to her and she quickly handed him the bird. It continued screeching, then stopped after hearing Jack's voice.  
  
"Drop Canvas!," he bellowed.  
  
Anamaria, still at the top of the ship, threw down a rope to Erica and slid down it. Where the two of them pulled the rope, making the top sail fall to it's rightful place.  
  
The ship gave a jolt and Erica toppled to the side. There, she laid, staring up at the grey sky and the warm rain dripping into her eyes.  
  
Anamaria's cocoa hand came into view and Erica's hand grasped onto her wrist. She hoisted her up and patted her on the shoulder, "Nice job." A smile spread across her lips.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Erica walked down the wooden steps, going onto her sleeping quarters. It was a long day, and the whole crew was congratulating her on her heroic efforts. To make up for Cotton's lost tongue, she saved his bird. Even though it was the most annoying bird anyone could ever want, she saved it. The wind must've blown his wings all into an odd angle.  
  
The steps leading to the grand dining room creaked with pressure. Erica's footing on the dark wood was slow and steady. She was like she was almost in a bored walk, but her mind was on her deed of the day. Even the floorboards seemed to be "huzzah-ing" for her.  
  
Letting out a small smile, Erica was greeted by her two running companions. Julia looked spectacular as always, even with her face all in a worried position. Will, too was dazzling. He was beaming at Erica. Never had a man giving her the impression that they were impressed.  
  
"Erica!," exclaimed Julia, taking Erica's hands in her own. "We just heard about what happened. Oh, you were so brave." In an instant, Julia was squeezing the air out of Erica's body from a rather tight armed hug.  
  
Erica placed her hand on Julia's shoulder and patted it, letting out a hearty laugh. She gave Will a "wow" look and wiggled out of Julia's grasp.  
  
"It was nothing," Erica closed her eyes and swatted her hand in front of her like a nonchalant way. Julia put her hands on her hips and gave her a rather pursed lipped looking smile. "Ok, maybe it was brave, but I was only making up for…you know"  
  
"The tongue cutting," Will nodded.  
  
Erica shrugged and nodded her head also, "Yeah, you could call it that."   
  
Just then, light tapping could be heard from behind Erica. A creak of floorboards and they all turned around to see the intruder. It was only Jack. Erica rolled her eyes and turned back to Will as Julia, on the other hand, smiled at Jack, flirtingly and gave him a fingered wave.  
  
He gave her a gentlemen smile and stated loudly after a false cough, "Erica," She spun around to look him properly in the eye. A bored, grim expression on her face, Jack continued, "You did a good job out there. Can't wait to see what will happen when my next plan comes into picture." Another smile, and he walked away. The thuds of his boots hitting the floor, fading away, away, away.  
  
"Wow," Julia said with a smug looking shrug, "Looks like the Captain liked you work."  
  
Erica's mouth was slightly hanging open, and she was zoning off into space. Her eyes staring in between Will and Julia. "Erica?," Will asked, his brow furrowed and a frown on his face. He tried to move his face into her seeing range, but she kept looking away.  
  
"It was all a set up! All of it!," Erica burst out with flames of anger. Her words burned anyone she happened to say them to all of a sudden. The acid in them, made their tongues go bitter. Spinning around on her heel, Erica muttered curses and names not suitable to be understood by royal ears to hear. "A test to see how good I really am. A test!"  
  
Julia and Will exchanged worried glances and scurried off. Dealing with an angry Erica was not the best thing to do. You'd most likely end up with a gun pointed and cocked at your head while a dagger rested on your throat.  
  
Gaining speed with her angry walking, Erica rested at the Captain's quarters door. Not knowing if Jack was in there or not, she placed her hand on the knob and twisted.   
  
Click  
  
It was locked.  
  
Pulling out her gun with quick swiftness, Erica shot a bullet at the brass knob. Smoke billowed out of the keyhole and Erica watched in anger. One step back. Two steps back. Three steps back. WAM! The door burst open with a kick from Erica's powerful leg. Some bits of the wooden chestnut door went flying in a different direction.  
  
No one was there.  
  
Erica cursed and walked in, putting her flintlock back into it's leather holder. 'Should I wait? Or should I find him?' Erica thought evilly. 'Wait'  
  
She caressed her hand upon the wooden desk next to the gigantic window. And as her hand rolled over many papers, Erica's head swiveled over her soft fingers.   
  
Maps.  
  
Every single piece of paper was a map. Some had naught but one thing on it, besides the many miles of ocean. Others had hundreds of little islands with many cities on them. There was one map that kept drawing Erica's eye back to it. It looked like a skull island. Rather big. None of the pieces of the head fit together. The jaw was separate from the skull. The skull was missing a little chunk from the top. Down on the bottom of the map said 3 words in neatly handwritten cursive. Isle de Muerta. Erica translated: Island of dead person.  
  
'Odd,' thought Erica.   
  
There was a grand scarlet chair behind her, and she plopped down into it, as if knowing it was there. She sighed and got herself comfortable. The feet propped onto the Captain's very cluttered desk.  
  
An inspection of the room was needed. Everywhere you went, it was a good idea to get a thorough inspection of the very small, very big details.  
  
There was a bed in the corner, covered with blue and red material, a gigantic chest in the corner, and many bookcases. The chest was a dark color with golden locks. It was beautiful and looked of great weight. Debating with herself, Erica thought to go open the chest or explore his many books. 'Books'  
  
Erica slowly hoisted herself out of the very comfortable chair and wandered over to the books. 'Choosing education over treasure, no what's wrong with me?'   
  
Her finger rubbing over many of the spines, she read off the names: Poetry one can never forget 'Poet, wow' The entire anatomy of the human body 'mm, scientist' Treasure Island. "This Jack Sparrow, he's a very peculiar man," Erica said aloud.  
  
Footsteps outside of the door got Erica her mind back. She looked around a bit then scurried over to the big comfy chair. Resting herself in it, she once again propped her feet on his desk, waiting for that person just outside the room to be surprised by her intrusion. 


End file.
